Sapiens
How Design Thinking, Gamification and UX Design enhance the effect of training platforms used in work environments.
A solution developed to increase engagement in corporate training.
The Problem
We started our journey with a prompt from an online education platform eager to seamlessly integrate the engaging elements of gamification into its system. The company aimed to increase employee engagement in the platform and intended to improve course completion rates.
Given the current scenario and the company’s context and goals, we derived the main question that needed to be addressed by our solution:
How can we promote user engagement and motivate these professionals to complete the training courses?
The Strategy
The Context: The online education sector as a whole has been growing exponentially in the last few years while companies have also increased their budget allocated for employee training. Companies have recognized the importance of investing in corporate education for talent retention as well as increased productivity, profitability and innovation. Investing in corporate education directly positively impacts the employees (promoting professional growth) and the company (increasing human capital and improving the results and efficiency of internal processes).
Understanding the company, users & service: We employed the Business Model Canvas to outline the company's structure and utilized the Value Proposition Canvas to highlight the value inherent in our product/service, while also identifying opportunities for improvement. Through this analysis, we identified the imperative to establish a user-friendly and straightforward app interface to ensure a positive user experience. Additionally, recognizing the importance of time management and juggling work and study commitments, we identified the need for implementing a system to assist users in staying organized and on top of their schedule.
Competitive analysis: We conducted an exploratory research to examine the different products available in the market, identifying their common functionalities for a comprehensive Benchmarking analysis. Based on the gathered data, we decided to incorporate all essential elements outlined in the Benchmarking study.
Product goals: Our objective was to create an innovative training platform tailored for corporate training courses. To enhance user interest and engagement, we chose to incorporate gamification strategies, aiming to transform the teaching and learning experience into a dynamic and engaging process.
Important metrics: We applied the HEART Framework to establish the metrics for assessing the platform's performance in relation to its objectives. Subsequently, we identified specific metrics in each category: (H) user evaluations & study session duration; (E) session duration, progress rates & course completion rates; (A) number of users, course enrollees & receipt/visualization of communications; (R) DAU (Daily Active Users), WAU (Weekly Active Users), & MAU (Monthly Active Users); (T) task completion within modules & course completion rates.
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Understanding the problem & context.
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Created for a better understanding of the users, business, stakeholders & workflows.
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Repository of information about the online education market, competitors & functionalities.
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Defining the metrics to assess the product’s usability.
The Research
Proto-Persona: We drafted proto-persona to outline the user profile beyond what was uncovered in the secondary research. This proto-persona represents a young professional struggling to balance work, study, and personal life leading to concerns about performance and stress. Serving as a model for the research profile, the proto-persona facilitated the recruitment of participants with the appropriate attributes.
Formulating & conducting the research: We opted for a qualitative exploratory research, utilizing a semi-structured script to delve deeper into the user's opinions about training/skill development courses as well as their integration into their work schedule. We wrote out a research script to be used as a guideline to conduct the interviews.
Research analysis & insights: The most pertinent information was extracted from the interviews and categorized by theme. Commonalities in the responses highlighted key considerations, emphasizing the importance of tools for organization & planning, mechanisms to motivate users and dedicated space for practicing the content taught in the courses.
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Defining research objectives, guidelines & script.
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Analyzing research responses, identifying commonalities & synthesizing findings.
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Understanding the users, their behavioral patterns & sketching their journey using the product.
The Solution
Identifying & prioritizing features: Employing an Impact x Knowledge Matrix, we identified priority functionalities for our design. Our choice was to create a mobile app incorporating gamification elements, featuring a calendar for daily/weekly planning synchronized with a course tracker and quizzes for content retention. The tracker helps estimate completion dates based on studying patterns or the number of hours needed for weekly study to complete the course by a certain deadline; the quizzes are designed with the assistance of AI to enhance content retention, and take into account course material and each individual's study history and points for improvement.
Prototype: At this stage, we translated our conceptual solution ideas from the research analysis into tangible form. Employing the Crazy 8s dynamic, we generated initial screen sketches for incorporation into the Minimal Viable Product (MVP). We established that the MVP should encompass screens for the dynamic calendar, practice exercises and course tracking/journey.
Gamifying the platform: Gamification is a powerful method reshaping how individuals interact with learning.Through the implementation of gamification elements, we tapped into users' intrinsic motivations, driving engagement and raising the effectiveness of the learning process. Notable gamification artifacts integrated include: points, rewards, badges, levels, leaderboards, learning trail, mascots and progress tracker.
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Conducting a Sprint (part I): defining and prioritizing problems encountered & solutions idealized.
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Conducting a Sprint (part II): the MVP & preliminary user testing.
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Understanding & filling out the Octalysis framework and defining the gamification artifacts.
Usability Test
Initial test: In the initial test (part of the sprint), we aimed to achieve two objectives: validate the app's intuitiveness with standard features and assess users' ability to use new features, i.e. the guided calendar. Conducted on Maze, the evaluation revealed the need for: more detailed test instructions, simplification of the home page, improvements in user flow, and several adjustments to the guided calendar feature.
Adjustments: We streamlined the home page by removing extraneous information, spotlighted the notifications icon, introduced a quick calendar onboarding process, and provided more explicit guidelines for the test tasks.
Main test: A new test was conducted and the new test results showed a notable decrease in misclick rates and average duration of the test compared to the previous test. Additionally, a higher percentage of users successfully completed the mission for the same task.
Results, insights & feedback: We identified the need for adjustments to the home screen and pop-ups due to non-intuitive and superfluous elements. Additionally, a comprehensive documentation of the main errors recorded along with heat-map data analysis proved essential for understanding button usage and user journeys. Finally, the importance of onboarding for uncommon functionalities was evident.
Feedback from users highlighted concerns about information overload in the first version of the Home Screen and difficulties with the intuitiveness of buttons in pop-ups, especially locating the close (x) button. Conversely, the application's design received widespread praise for being well-crafted and motivational, contributing to a pleasant experience.
Next steps: The test emphasized areas for improvement in the app, including users attempting to click on non-clickable areas and following alternative paths for task completion. Investigating why some users did not complete the test is crucial, understanding whether it was a choice or due to encountered problems.
Due to resource and time constraints, not all app screens are included in the final prototype, with secondary screens still under construction. Priority was given to essential screens for the learning aspect, including elements of the learning trail, user profile and achievements and screens introducing new features.
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Testing the first version of the app (part of the sprint workshop).
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Testing the final version of the app.
The Sapiens Platform
About Sapiens
Sapiens aims to gamify the learning experience for employees, boosting interest and engagement. The interactive calendar allows users to specify course availability, enabling the platform to adjust durations based on user schedules.
Gamification in Sapiens incentivizes users through a learning path, bonuses, and rewards, promoting attendance, commitment, and course progression. The platform emphasizes progress measurement and certification achievement, allowing users to track performance and earn certifications, validating and showcasing acquired skills and competencies to colleagues and managers.
Users gain a clear view of their progress, identifying areas for improvement and setting learning goals. Assessment metrics provide valuable insights to employees themselves and companies, aiding in talent identification and development and promotion opportunities.
Features
Learning
Courses: The interface showcases mandatory courses, courses in progress, categorized courses by theme, and provides personalized course suggestions based on user history.
Learning path: Users follow a visual trail that illustrates their progress and displays lessons and exercises.
Video markings: Users can mark specific moments in video lessons, adding private or public notes to summarize or contribute to the topic.
Time Management
Guided Calendar: This tool generates a personalized study plan, considering the user's weekly study time or the desired course completion date.
Agenda: Users plan study hours, work commitments, and personal tasks, linked with the guided calendar to adjust course duration based on availability.
Metrics
Performance Indicators: These metrics showcase engagement across content and features. There are 6 different indicators: time management, rewards, curiosity, personal development, involvement & grades.
Store: An area showcasing available prizes where users can exchange points for their chosen rewards.
Social
Profile: This section highlights and summarizes the user's achievements.
Forums: Designated space for student and instructor posts about courses, topics, announcements, discussions…
Comments & likes: Interaction with peers is facilitated through comments and likes on video and exercise screens, video markings, and forums.